AvantStay Review: Is It Worth It for Hosts?

Luxury vacation rental properties require diligent, high-quality management to cater to the expectations of high-end guests and to deliver a good return on investment. AvantStay specializes in the management of luxurious short-term rentals, but is it worth it for investors?

In this AvantStay review, we’ll analyze the services that the company provides, the fees that it imposes, and the terms that it applies. In addition, we’ll go through online reviews by hosts and guests to see what customers like and dislike about AvantStay’s work. Finally, we’ll offer you three top alternatives in case you’re looking for a different vacation rental management model.

Looking for tech-enabled vacation home management by dedicated local caretakers that brings better reviews and better revenue while keeping you in charge? Sign up for Fairly or schedule a free consultation with our team.

AvantStay Company Overview

AvantStay is a full-service vacation rental property management company that specializes in luxury rentals and group stays including family vacations, special occasions, and company retreats. Sean Bruner and Reuben Doetsch founded the company in 2017, with headquarters in Los Angeles, CA, with the goal of redefining luxury vacation rental management by transforming beautiful homes into authentic, memorable experiences.

In 2026, AvantStay works with over 2,500 homeowners in more than 60 US markets. The company focuses on select destinations including:

• Asheville
• Aspen
• Austin
• Berkshires
• Big Bear
• Breckenridge
• Cayucos
• Central Oregon
• Chesapeake Bay
• Coachella Valley
• Coastal Charleston
• Corpus Christi
• Destin
• Emerald Coast - 30A
• Fort Lauderdale
• Fort Myers
• Hilton Head
• Hudson Valley
• Joshua Tree
• Key West
• Keystone
• Lake Arrowhead
• Lake Norman
• Lake Tahoe
• Los Angeles
• Malibu
• Marco Island
• Maui
• Miami
• Montecito
• Monterey
• Naples
• Nashville
• New Orleans
• Newport Beach
• Oahu
• Oregon Coast
• Orlando
• Outer Banks
• Palm Springs
• Panama City Beach
• Park City
• Paso Robles
• Pismo Beach
• Poconos
• Port Aransas
• San Diego
• Santa Barbara
• Savannah
• Scottsdale
• Sedona
• Smoky Mountains
• Sonoma
• St. Augustine
• Telluride
• Temecula
• Vail
• Watch Hill
• Whidbey Island
• Winter Park

According to the company website, with AvantStay owners are able to make 20% more revenue than with other Airbnb management companies. However, this is not the right fit for the average Airbnb host. AvantStay works for those who invest full-time in luxury, large properties in certain destination markets.

AvantStay Property Management Services

AvantStay offers comprehensive boutique services for luxury short-term rentals. These types of properties require professional care as they cater to large groups and high-end guests who expect superior service that individual hosts cannot provide.

The specific services included in the AvantStay vacation rental management portfolio cover:

• Professional photography to showcase the top features of listed properties
• Listing creation and optimization for high rankings
• Listing distribution on 50+ channels including large platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia and more niche websites like Homes & Villas by Marriott International and Plum Guide
• Marketing to drive bookings from diverse channels
• Legal assistance with short-term rental permitting and licensing
• Smart technology with 24/7 monitoring to keep properties and guests safe
• Revenue management based on dynamic pricing and local trends
• Reservation management for optimized occupancy and no double-bookings
• Guest vetting to host respectful renters
• Dedicated housekeeping provided by a local team
• Proactive maintenance to prevent the need for major property repairs
• Built-in damage protection on all bookings
• Concierge services for guests
• Owner reporting through an online portal (Lighthouse) including property reservation status, performance, and ongoing maintenance orders

Apart from Airbnb management, AvantStay also delivers vacation rental design services for owners whose properties are not guest-ready yet. Design upgrades can range from light renovations to complete home refurbishings. The company prepares a design with all required items, after which it helps hosts procure furniture and decor items with access to industry discounts. AvantStay coordinates delivery and assembly for a white-glove finish. Based on AvantStay’s claims, their design and furnishing services can help boost rental revenue by 20-30%.

With this level of service coverage, real estate investors can make passive income from their luxury rentals. However, they also lose control over the management of their property, with all strategic and day-to-day decisions left to the local AvantStay team.

AvantStay Costs & Fees

In general, AvantStay offers full-service short-term rental property management. However, the company provides flexible management programs to be able to meet the needs and requirements of different types of investors. Having said that, the AvantStay website doesn’t publish any pricing information. Owners need to get in touch with the team to discuss their property and its unique needs after which they will receive a custom quote.

Third-party sources report the AvantStay monthly fee to be between 20% and 35% of total revenue including nightly rates, cleaning fees, and all other extra charges. While this is within the standard range of Airbnb management fees in the US market, it can add up to a major share of your earnings. For example, if your property makes $4,000 per month, and AvantStay charges 35%, you will end up paying them $1,400 and retaining only $2,600 for yourself. Additionally, you will most likely need to pay a one-time onboarding fee too.

Other expenses that you will need to cover - on top of AvantStay’s fees - include utilities, property taxes, insurance, and property repairs. These are the same whether you work with AvantStay or another vacation rental manager.

AvantStay Terms & Conditions

Following standard practices in the short-term rental management industry, AvantStay works with 12-month vacation rental management agreements. Owners are able to exit earlier if they are not happy with services or have alternative plans for their property. The relevant process focuses on honoring existing reservations, but the company doesn’t specify how long the advance notice window is. Moreover, you might need to pay an early cancellation penalty fee.

When working with AvantStay, owners can block their property for personal use as much as they’d like. This can be done directly through the homeowner platform. The company asks owners to try to block personal use in advance, when possible, but there are no specific restrictions in this regard.

AvantStay Short-Term Rental Management Process

Once you sign a contract with AvantStay, the onboarding process lasts 2-4 weeks. In weeks 1-2,  the team conducts a property audit, installs smart home technology, and gets professional photos and a 3D tour of your rental. In weeks 3-4, the marketing team lists the property on distribution channels, builds SEO, and shares the listing with AvantStay’s existing guest database. For STRs that require design and furnishing, AvantStay provides a different timeline, extended by a few weeks.

AvantStay provides a hands-off approach for those who invest remotely, run multi-property portfolios, and expect passive income from real estate investing. You don’t need to have an active engagement in your short-term rental business to make money from it. You can simply receive your payouts at the end of the month. However, this property management model also means that you lose control over the major decisions associated with the positioning and managing of your property and guests. That’s the main tradeoff when working with a professional Airbnb manager like AvantStay.

AvantStay Reviews by Owners & Guests

There are a few thousand online reviews of AvantStay, by both hosts and guests. The company’s ratings are high, with a lot of positive but also some negative reviews.

You can find AvantStay reviews on:

• Trustpilot: 4.7/5 stars based on 2,414 reviews
• Apple App Store: 4.8/5 stars based on 1,075 reviews
• Yelp: 3.7/5 stars based on 442 reviews
• Google PlayStore: 4.8/5 stars based on 191 reviews
• Reddit

Positive feedback from owners reflects the quality property management services, the well-maintained spaces, the truthful listings, and the easy communication. Meanwhile, happy guests praise the good properties, the strategic locations, the clean houses, the excellent supplies, and the helpful team.

AvantStay Complaints by Hosts & Guests

While AvantStay reviews show generally positive experiences, there are some complaints that you need to take into account when evaluating whether the company is worth it. Specifically, a number of owners complain about unreasonably low nightly prices set up by the AvantStay algorithm which push up occupancy but bring down overall revenue. Others mention exuberant management fees, which further diminish hosts’ profits. Other complaints by owners include poor maintenance practices and ineffective communication processes.

In their negative reviews of AvantStay, guests mention problems with reservations, last-minute cancellations, and properties not being ready upon check-in. Other guests report filthy properties and unusable bathrooms. AvantStay’s customer support team also got negative evaluations.

Is AvantStay Worth It for Airbnb Investors?

Based on the services that AvantStay offers and the generally high ratings that the company has, hiring this property manager might be the right choice for the owners of luxury vacation rentals in select US markets. If you prefer a hands-off approach to STR investing without participating in the decisions that concern your home’s success, this could can be a good decision for you.

On the other hand, AvantStay is not the ideal management solution for the owners of smaller short-term rentals. It’s also not a good option for those who’d like to have material participation in the running of their rental property.

AvantStay Alternatives & Competitors

AvantStay seems able to serve the needs of certain vacation rental owners, but it’s not the right fit for all Airbnb investors in the US market. Following are three of the most popular alternatives to AvantStay that provide diverse services in the short-term rental management space for owners with different requirements and expectations:

AvantStay vs Fairly

Fairly: Best for local home care and owner control

Fairly takes a different approach to vacation home management than property managers like AvantStay. Rather than taking over all strategic and operational decisions, Fairly combines local caretakers, technology, and owner involvement to help homeowners stay in control while avoiding the burden of day-to-day operations.

Fairly’s idea of managing short-term rentals focuses on superior property and guest services provided by local caretakers as well as on owner’s control over strategic decisions - without any of the legwork associated with self-management. The philosophy can be illustrated simply:

Dedicated local care → Exceptional guest services → More 5-star reviews → Optimized long-term performance

In specific, you get access to the Fairly vacation rental software platform which helps you optimize and automate tasks like listing, distribution, marketing, and pricing. Note that Fairly doesn’t impose the daily rates recommended by the AI algorithm but lets you adjust rates as you see fit, based on your strategy and further research. You can always rely on assistance from a Vacation Rental Expert who can give you advice on how to list or price your home in line with your preferences and your big-picture strategy.

Additionally, you choose a local caretaker from the Fairly marketplace, with support from the Vacation Rental Expert. While coordination and payments are handled by the online platform, you get to build a long-term partnership with your home’s caretaker so that they provide the consistent, high-quality support that helps your property and guest experience stand out.

Furthermore, you get 24/7 back-up support should your local caretaker be ever temporarily unavailable. In this case, the Fairly team will respond to guest inquiries or coordinate a response with you to make sure that your guests get served immediately.

As you are materially engaged in the management of your property (without having to handle day-to-day operations), you qualify for the short-term rental tax loophole. This allows you to deduct depreciation from your regular income.

Meanwhile, Fairly charges a single fee of 20% of nightly prices (before cleaning fees). There are no onboarding or cancellation fees and no hidden charges. The local caretakers get 5% of revenue (deducted from the Fairly fee) plus the cleaning fees which you set together. This remuneration model ensures that they are motivated to maximize the performance of your vacation home so that their income also goes up.

All in all, your partnership with local caretakers leads to well-taken-care-of properties and satisfied guests who bring more positive reviews. Higher ratings allow you to increase daily rates while boosting occupancy. This results in more revenue - without the need to handle housekeeping and maintenance on your own. Fairly guarantees a $5,000 growth in annual revenue when switching from self-management or working with a professional property manager.

As testimony to the effectiveness of the Fairly model, it’s worth noting that Fairly-managed listings have an average rating of 4.9 on Airbnb. This is significantly more than what AvantStay competitors generally achieve - around 4.6 or less. In their feedback on Manager Review, happy guests praise the great homes, the nice team members, and the quick communication. In their Fairly reviews, owners mention easy transitions from other management solutions and excellent services.

In sum, Fairly's model aligns homeowner goals, local property care, and guest satisfaction. By combining dedicated local caretakers with technology and owner involvement, Fairly helps enhance long-term property performance while preserving visibility and control.

AvantStay vs Casago

Casago: Best for full-service Airbnb property management

Casago is a close alternative to AvantStay in terms of the services that it provides but it works with more diverse properties and across more locations in the US. After its acquisition of Vacasa in 2025, Casago emerged as the largest STR manager in North America, with more than 37,000 properties in their portfolio. The company provides full-service management of various vacation rentals, not only luxury ones.

The Casago business model is based on locally owned and managed franchises. Each team gets training and technology from the main company, after which it works rather independently. This can lead to differences in the range and quality of services offered by each local team.

Casago aims to serve the needs of distant investors. Their services include everything from listing and marketing, to guest management and housekeeping. As an owner, you’re not personally involved in the management of your rental home. While this gives you freedom, it also deprives you of control.

With regards to fees, the Casago website doesn’t specify the range you can expect; it just explains that the commission rate depends on the location and services. According to reliable third-party sources, Casago fees are typically between 20% and 30% of total booking revenue (daily rates plus cleaning fees) but can go even beyond 30%, depending on your market and property. There is a one-time onboarding fee too - up to $400.

Casago has surprisingly few online reviews for a company that has been in business since 1996 (you can find some on Manager Review and Google Reviews). Positive reviews highlight pleasant rentals that are well furnished and properly cleaned, excellent supply stocking, strict enforcement of house rules, and prompt handling of unexpected issues. Meanwhile, negative Casago reviews by owners and guests complain about poorly maintained homes, below-average housekeeping services, last-minute cancellations, hidden charges, and wrongful listings.

In brief, Casago can be a good fit for owners seeking a traditional, fully managed approach and who are comfortable relying on a local franchise team. However, homeowners who prefer greater visibility, direct involvement in strategic decisions, and more consistent service standards across markets may find alternative management models better aligned with their goals.

AvantStay vs Evolve

Evolve: Best for half-service STR management

Owners who prefer to handle daily operations on their own (or through their own team) but would benefit from some automation can consider Evolve as an alternative to AvantStay. This is a half-service short-term rental property management company which provides hosts with a platform to streamline listing, distribution, dynamic pricing, marketing, and financials. In terms of  pricing, you can set a minimum and maximum rate, after which the software automatically adjusts daily prices, but you cannot easily make further changes based on your preferences and considerations. 

With regards to housekeeping and maintenance, Evolve can suggest vetted local contractors, and you have to agree on services and rates with them directly and to pay them separately. Speaking of payments, Evolve offers a few different plans, with rates starting at 10% of booking revenue (nightly prices and cleaning fees). More comprehensive plans cost more, without covering housekeeping.

On websites like Manager Review and Trustpilot, there are thousands of online reviews of Evolve, with generally good average ratings. Positive feedback from owners focuses on the quick onboarding, timely transfers of owner payouts, and the intuitive platform, while negative reviews discuss unnecessarily low nightly prices (leading to drops in revenue), poor enforcement of house rules, and slow customer support service. Meanwhile, some guests praise the accurate listing information, useful instructions, and available support team, while others complain about inflexible cancellation and refund policies and unattentive customer services.

To conclude, Evolve is generally best suited to owners who already have trusted local housekeeping and maintenance providers and primarily need support with pricing, marketing, and distribution. Owners looking for a more integrated solution that combines technology with dedicated local operational support may prefer a different management model.

How to Get Started with AvantStay

To get started with AvantStay vacation rental management, you can schedule a meeting through the website or call directly.

Conclusion

AvantStay reviews reveal a trustworthy full-service Airbnb management company for the owners of luxury rentals in certain destinations. While you benefit from passive income from your investment property, you also have to give up control over important aspects like pricing and guest management. That’s why AvantStay is a good fit for owners who don’t want to be personally involved in the management of their home. However, hosts who want to remain involved in strategic decisions and maintain material participation in their rental business may prefer a different approach.

For vacation home management that leaves you in charge of major decisions while providing your home and guests with personalized local care, check out Fairly. Book an introductory call with our team.

FAQs

What Is AvantStay?

AvantStay is an end-to-end luxury vacation rental management company whose services are available in around 60 popular Airbnb destinations. It manages about 2,500 properties, which makes it the largest STR manager dedicated to luxury and group stays. The company aims to help investors improve the performance of their rental property without the need to be personally involved in its management.

What Kind of Company Is AvantStay?

AvantStay is a premier short-term rental management company and hospitality platform specializing in high-end, purpose-built homes for group travels, special events, and corporate retreats. To owners, AvantStay provides comprehensive property management services in exchange for a monthly fee that depends on multiple factors, such as location, property type, and services required. To guests, the company offers luxury rental properties, hotel-grade hospitality, and concierge services.

Is AvantStay a Legit Company?

AvantStay is a legitimate Airbnb property management company that helps more than 2,500 investors earn passive income from luxury vacation rentals. The large number of positive reviews from both hosts and guests suggests that many customers have had favorable experiences with AvantStay's management services. Still, some complaints raise red flags related to ineffective dynamic pricing, high property management fees, suboptimal housekeeping and maintenance services, and issues with communication.

How Is AvantStay Different from Airbnb?

Airbnb is an online platform where you can list your short-term rental for access to global travelers in exchange for a fee that’s usually around 3% of booking revenue. In contrast, AvantStay is a company that manages vacation rentals listed on websites like Airbnb for a monthly fee of 20-30%+ of earnings. AvantStay also lists properties on its own website and markets them to its network of travelers for direct bookings where you don’t have to pay a booking channel fee.

In sum, AvantStay charges substantially higher fees than Airbnb because it provides full-service property management rather than simply acting as a booking platform.